OCUFA announces winners of the 2015 Status of Women Award of Distinction

TORONTO—The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Status of Women Award of Distinction. The award, sponsored by OCUFA’s Status of Women Committee, recognizes women who have improved the lives and working conditions of academic women and, by extension, their students, colleagues, families, and friends.

This year’s winners are:

Sandra Acker, Professor Emerita of Social Justice Education, OISE, University of Toronto, for her research on women academics and mentorship of graduate students;

Melanie Campbell, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, for her work to improve the position of academic women through organizational, policy, and educational leadership;

Kathryn Church, Director, School of Disability Studies, Ryerson University, for her scholarship and advocacy on behalf of academic women with disabilities;

Haideh Moghissi, Professor of Equity Studies, York University, for her pioneering scholarship on women and Islam, and her commitment to humans rights and social justice for all; and

Marcia Rioux, Distinguished Research Professor, School of Health Policy and Management, York University, for her foundational and globally recognized work on advancing the rights of women in health-related policy and legislation.

“OCUFA is committed to advancing and protecting the personal, professional and academic interests of women in the academy,” said Kate Lawson, President of OCUFA. “That is why we are so proud to bestow this honor upon such an exceptional group of advocates for academic women.”

The honourees will receive their awards at a celebration in Toronto on February 7, 2015.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 28 faculty associations across Ontario. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at http://www.ocufa.on.ca.